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Sales rank 193,697
Customers rating (based on 36 reviews)
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The debate on globalization has reached a level of intensity that inhibits comprehension and obscures the issues. In this book a highly distinguished international economist scrupulously explains how globalization works as a concept and how it operates in reality. Martin Wolf confronts the charges against globalization, delivers a devastating critique of each, and offers a realistic scenario for economic internationalism in the future. Wolf begins by outlining the history of the global economy in the twentieth century and explaining the mechanics of world trade. He dissects the agenda of globalization's critics, and rebuts the arguments that it undermines sovereignty, weakens democracy, intensifies inequality, privileges the multi-national corporation, and devastates the environment. The author persuasively defends the principles of international economic integration, arguing that the biggest obstacle to global economic progress has been the failure not of the market, but of politics and government, in rich countries as well as poor. He examines the threat that terrorism poses and maps the way to a global market economy that can work for everyone.
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| Publisher | Yale University Press | | Release date | 07/2004 | | Availability | Usually ships in 24 hours | | Edition | Hardcover |
| | List price | $35 | | Our price | $28 (you save 20.00%) | | Used price | from $3.74 |
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 Good book to try to understand the world economy
This is a good book to try to understand why when one economy goes down the rest of the world follows it.
 A very good book (even if you are against it)
In coherent and readable style Martin Wolf lays out the case in favour of globalisation. Whether you are in favour or against you should read this book. In making his case, Wolf tells why a global market economy makes sense and why there is too little globalisation. In Part IV he sets out his arguments on why the critics are wrong. This part should be the most exciting for anti-globalisionists given that every chapter starts off with a number of arguments against globalisation (some of which struck me as somewhat bizarre). He then goes on to explain quite comprehensively why the critics should be wrong.
I found Martin Wolf's book indeed a blueprint for a better world.
 offensive and interesting
In regards to globalization, the book made some valid and often frustrating points. The author didn't leave much room for disagreement. As someone that is skeptical of globalization, it was good to hear about the positive elements. It challenged my points of view. I am still deciding what to think on the subject and the book has encouraged me to think more deeply.
Mr. President, tear down your wall.
I read this book a little after digesting Londonistan and almost as a coincidence we find both authors talking about the same thing but from differing perspectives. As one born in the baby boom years dominated by the cold war between two superpowers and living in a nanny socialist state of Great Britain, the last thirty years have been little short of revolutionary.
While Martin Wolf uses the term Globalisation to mean the breaking down of barriers around the world, to trade and the factors of production, what we are really seeing is the re-establishment of the liberal order which dominated the globe prior to the onset of the first world war. This liberal order in the traditional, classical liberal sense, is not the same as it once was but a more modern version, changed and adapted to the different political and economic realities of the present. It is an order which brings about change, usually for the better, but like any other change, has winners and losers though in general all of the world benefits.
Martin Wolf does an excellent job of making the case for globalisation, in a lucid and concise manner. Furthermore he not only makes the case for globalisation but dissects the arguements of globalisations opponents whether they be the French Attac movement or the neo-liberal turned socialist Professor John Gray or even his colleague Michael Prowse and shows them to be fallacious or based on false premises.
Mr. Wolf is no dewey eyed idealist however. He neither professes undying faith in an unfettered free market nor does he articulate the need for a strong regulatory state. He argues from a realist perspective that government with a light touch is needed in certain areas not merely to correct externalities or produce public goods but also where some degree of social welfare is required. He develops an overwhelming case of why globalisation is good for us and looks forward to the future and assesses the risks involved in it's further development.
In short this is an excellent non-technical treatment of a feature that is having an impact on all of our lives whether we notice it or not. I found in studying the text that it is of a very timely nature given the ressurgence of terror attacks throughout the world and the growing tendencies within the United States towards introversion and turning against external trading links. Combining this with the rise of a home based fundamental christianity, these developments suggest to me that the greatest threat to a resurgent international liberal order come from within the US rather than other nations. These have not been helped by the EU intransigence towards reduction of subsidies for the small minority of agricultural producers which causes so much hardship for thir world farmers.
I am not saying either that I am in wholehearted agreement with Martin Wolf's case. While I broadly agree with the thrust of his agruement I believe that the private sector and voluntary sectors could play a much greater role if the role of the organisations of the state could be more restricted and restrained.
There is a great deal to think about in this book and I think that thoughful readers will find it to be of excellent value.
One of the best books on globalisation
This book is one of the best available books on globalisation. There is a historical perspective on the history of world trade from the high point of the 19th century through the nadir of the interwar years. The author explains the economics of globalisation clearly in non-technical language. He takes the criticisms of the various opponents and demolishes almost all of them. In many cases he shows the contradictions embedded in the critics positions. There is a wonderfully cruel but accurate demolition of Naomi Klein's ideas which he shows are both shallow and authoritarian. He is a lucid writer but the material can be heavy going (lots of numbers and laying out of economic ideas) but stick with it - you'll come out with a good grounding in the issues. As he makes clear in the book, ignorance and misunderstanding of economic ideas is distressingly widespread and impoverishes public debate. Read Jagdish Bhagwti's book before or after and if you don't understand the benefits of globalisation heaven help you!
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